Cowboy Bebop

カウボーイビバップ

03/04/1998 8.8 0 R

Synopsis

Crime knows no era. In 2071, humans have colonized the galaxy, establishing communities on distant planets akin to those on Earth. These new frontiers are rife with crime, including murder, drug abuse, and theft, prompting a surge in the number of hardened bounty hunters tracking down interstellar fugitives. Spike Spiegel and Jet Black traverse the cosmos in pursuit of criminals to earn a modest income. Spike's carefree and silly exterior masks the torment of his violent history. Jet, meanwhile, grapples with his own troubled past while looking after Spike and their ship, the Bebop. Their crew expands with the addition of the captivating swindler Faye Valentine, the eccentric child prodigy Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivrusky IV, and Ein, a genetically engineered Welsh corgi. As the Bebop crew forges bonds and hunts down a diverse array of lawbreakers, their lives are upended by a threat from Spike's past. With a rival's deranged scheme unfolding, Spike faces a choice between his newfound family or avenging his past wounds.

Background

During its initial run on TV Tokyo in the spring of 1998, Cowboy Bebop only had episodes 2-3, 7-15, and 18 aired, concluding with a recap special titled Yose Atsume Blues. This was due to heightened anime censorship following the Evangelion controversies, leading to most of the series being pulled for its violent content. Later that year, satellite channel WOWOW broadcast the entire series uncensored. Although Cowboy Bebop wasn't a ratings success in Japan, it sold over 19,000 DVD units initially and 81,000 overall. Spike Spiegel won Best Male Character, and Megumi Hayashibara received Best Voice Actor for her portrayal of Faye Valentine at the 1999 and 2000 Anime Grand Prix, respectively. Cowboy Bebop's most significant impact has been in the United States, where it debuted on Adult Swim in 2001 and has been rerun numerous times since. The show's strong Western influence resonated with American audiences, making it a gateway to anime for adult viewers.